And Enter A Stranger
by Nike
Summary: Goliath, Elisa, and Matt encounter a strange individual. First in a series.


And Enter a Stranger

Five Worlds Saga

Nike

cloverhoney@angelfire.com

Warning: There is a WAFF moment towards the end.  I also have an odd sense of humor.  There's nothing too bad on either account though.  There's your warning.  I also like adventure and mysteries.  If you like none of the above, you probably shouldn't be reading this.  (Of course, if you like none of the above, then you probably didn't like Gargoyles.  If that's the case, I have no idea _why you're reading this.)_

Disclaimer:  I don't own Gargoyles.  Disney and Buena Vista do (all hail the mouse!).  All original characters not appearing in the Gargoyles series are mine.  In fact most of the characters I'm introducing in my Five Worlds Saga are from some books I've been working on but may never publish.  More on that later.

And now our feature presentation…

And Enter a Stranger

            He was wandering quite aimlessly.  He had started out at Central Park late that afternoon and had started walking, looking at his feet while his thoughts roamed elsewhere.  He had just walked wherever with his hands in his pockets and his head hunched into his jacket as protection against the chill breeze.  He hadn't noticed the sun as it sank in the sky and finally set.  

            Frankly, it was pure luck he had avoided all of the pickpockets, murderers, thieves, rapists, thugs, gangs, irate pedestrians and moving vehicles that abounded on the streets of Manhattan.  He was in a very deserted area by the docks and it was very dark when he finally took notice of his surroundings.  That's when his luck finally ran out.

                                                                        ********

            When he came to, he found himself on the smooth metal catwalk above some of the largest vats of chemicals.  He had been propped up against the metal railing and his wrists had been tied behind his back.  He tentatively tested his bonds, but they were tightly and expertly tied; he couldn't reach the knots and there was no leeway to slip loose.  His legs were free, though.  He immediately decided that was a good thing when his eyes caught the incendiary device not five feet away.  He had less than thirty seconds.  

            The young man scrambled to his feet and sprinted for the stairs.  Desperation and fear lent his feet wings.  He was sent sprawling when the explosion came but, except for several bruises and being severely shaken, he was fine.  He rolled over with a moan and glanced back only to immediately wish that he hadn't.  

            The bomb had taken out the closest major support of the catwalk and set the closest of the vats into flames.  The minor supports began to shriek, then gave way.  The whole catwalk tilted, the smooth surface glinting as the fiery inferno below came into view.  As he began to slide, he reflected on how much he hated heights.

Commercial Break.

(I just couldn't resist.  This _is when they'd have one, you know. : D)_

            He was sliding fast enough that he avoided the vertical pieces of twisted metal and shot out into space instead.  He had closed his eyes against the heat, light, and an intense feeling of vertigo caused by his acrophobia, thus missed seeing a dark shape diving through the skylight.  He was aware, however, when that same shape caught him and stopped his descent.  He opened his eyes to look at his savior, but tears and the acrid smoke that caused those tears blurred his vision.  He then stiffened as he felt them descend.  

            There was a thump and a slight jarring sensation as they landed at the far side of the warehouse/facility.  He was gently set down on the floor against the wall.  Not far away a large door was open, letting in fresh air.  He gulped the air gratefully and took a better look at the person who had saved his life.  

His eyes widened as he took in the tall, winged shape.  A sad look crossed the creature's face, but left as the wail of sirens reached them.  He watched in fascination as the creature quickly climbed the wall and slipped out through a well-placed skylight.  He moved to rub his eyes in disbelief, only to realize that his hands were still tied behind his back.

            "Okay, you mind explaining why we've been called out to a fire?  I thought that was the job of firefighters," Detective Matthew Bluestone told his partner.  Elisa Maza glanced at him before taking her red Ford Fairlane around a sharp corner.

            "Arson, probably.  Besides, the building belongs to Xanatos and it's well known around the precinct that I've been hanging around the Eyrie Building a lot lately, so I got called in.  You're just along for the ride."

            "Some ride," Bluestone muttered his knuckles white from his grip on the car door.  Another sharp turn and a glare from his partner accompanied the words; "I heard that."

            Matt let out a sigh of relief when Elisa pulled up near some fire engines standing by a large warehouse-type facility.  They found the fire chief by an open pair of large double-doors.  The grizzled older man looked at them doubtfully until they flashed their badges.  

            "Arson?" Elisa asked.  The fire chief nodded.

            "Definitely.  See that catwalk?" he gestured.  Both of the detectives nodded, impressed with the wreckage.

            "That wasn't caused by the fire in that big vat," the older man finished, waving at where most of his men were still working.  

            "Bomb?" Matt asked.

            "Yup.  And we've got an eye witness." 

            "The security guard," Elisa stated.

            "Nope," the fire chief said, catching both the detectives off-guard, "That's who called us in.  We found the eyewitness over there with his hands tied behind his back.  He's being tended to by the paramedics at the ambulance.  Thing is, he claims that he was _on the catwalk when the bomb went off and from some of the marks on him, I believe him."_

            "What?" Matt asked.

            "Claims he saw almost everything and said he wanted to talk to the police, preferably someone from the Gargoyles Taskforce," the fire chief finished, ignoring Matt's question.

            "'Along for the ride', huh?" smart-mouthed the head of said department as they headed for the ambulance.  The look Elisa gave him did not bode well for his future but any words were spared as they approached the ambulance.

            "You have some nasty burns on your back," a paramedic was saying soothingly.

            "Of course I do.  I slid down a hot metal catwalk on my backside," snapped the patient.  Elisa and Matt looked at each other, and then back at the scene.

            The paramedics were holding down and trying to apply a salve to the bright red back of a young man.  The young man, however, was struggling hard.  Suddenly, the paramedics let go.  The man sat up and grabbed his shirt from one of the two.

            "Hello," Elisa spoke up, "I'm Detective Maza and this is my partner, Detective Bluestone.  If you're through, we'd like to talk to this young man."

            "He's all yours for now, but we'll want to take him to the hospital afterwards just to make sure he's completely fine," a paramedic said.  The young man stood up and proceeded to walk straight past the detectives.  He finally reached Elisa's Ford Fairlane and leaned against it.  Matt and Elisa followed, stopping a foot away.  

Elisa looked the young man over.  He was a tall and thin Caucasian male; he seemed almost gangly.  Thanks to seeing him without his shirt, however, Elisa knew he was all muscle.  He had medium dark blond hair with light brown undertones.  It had been cut short but some of it was sticking up in odd directions, creating a rumpled appearance.  The reason why soon became apparent; the young man had the nervous habit of running his hands through his hair.  His chin was broad and his nose was sharp.  He wasn't bad looking, but Elisa would never have called him handsome.

Meanwhile, the young man's blue eyes had been looking the two detectives over.  Then a boyish grin came to his lips.  Elisa paused.  The young man had a gorgeous smile; it lit up his entire face and softened his harsher features.  In the moment, Elisa revised her appraisal.  He was very handsome when he smiled.

"Detective Matthew Bluestone, head of the Gargoyles Taskforce?" the young man said.

"That's me," Matt admitted, "And this is my partner, Elisa Maza.  You wanted to talk to us?"  The young man nodded.

"I saw a gargoyle," the young man said, "He saved me when I was falling."  He then frowned slightly.  "I didn't get a chance to thank him."

"What did he look like?" Elisa asked, curious.  The young man shrugged.

"About seven feet tall, black hair, purple skin, big wings, large muscles… you know, a gargoyle.  Like they show on TV."

"Is that all?" asked Matt.  The young man shook his head.

"The bomb was set off by that vigilante group that calls themselves the Quarrymen.  This whole thing tonight was led by John Castaway himself."

"You're sure?" Elisa jumped, grabbing the young man by the collar.  He looked startled.

"Yes.  I was walking, minding my own business, when I came across a large group of them loading things from this warehouse into a semi-truck.  Two of them saw me and grabbed me.  Their leader sounded like that Castaway man at the rallies they show on the news and one of the men called him Castaway.  I demand they let me go before I went to the cops on the charge of assault and the next thing I know I'm waking up next to a bomb with only a few seconds on the timer," the witness finished dryly, pulling away from Elisa's grip.

            "Do you realize what this means?  We can prove Castaway was behind _both arson and attempted murder!"_

            "Oh, no you don't," the young man spoke up.  Elisa blinked, her surge of joy leaving her as quickly as it had appeared.

            "I'm too fond of my skin for that," he had continued, "They tried killing me once just for stumbling into the wrong place at the wrong time.  If I actually testify against Castaway, I'll have to watch my back for the rest of my life.  I'm not crazy about that or spending my days as part of the Witness Protection Program.  I prefer my life the way it is, thank you very much."  With that, the young man stood up and walked off.

            "Hey, wait a minute!" Elisa shouted.  Matt grabbed her arm before she could follow him.

            "He's made up his mind, partner.  I doubt you'll change it.  Besides, he's heading back towards the ambulance.  We can question him further in the hospital."  However, when they reached the ambulance five minutes later they found that their witness had, for all intentions and purposes, disappeared.

            "I met the guy you saved in the warehouse fire, Big Guy," Elisa told her lover after they landed on her balcony later that night.  Goliath sighed.

            "When I was carrying him in my arms, he looked up at me in such fear, Elisa.  What hope do we have if a person who's life would otherwise been doomed but for us considers us monsters?"  Detective Maza paused.

            "I'm not too sure that he does.  Think you're monsters, that is."  Goliath's sullenness lifted somewhat.

            "Truly?"  Elisa put her arms around his neck and smiled up at him.

            "He extolled your virtues to me and Matt.  He won't testify against Castaway, though.  He's too scared.  That whole thing in the warehouse left him shaken.  But he doesn't think you're a monster."

            "It is a step in the right direction.  A small step, but a step nonetheless."  Goliath then swept Elisa up in his arms and kissed her.  He had taken a liking to this form of affection.  Elisa smiled and kissed back.

            She landed quietly, folding her white feather wings around her like a cape.  She silently watched the couple from a distance.

            "How sweet," she murmured with an odd smile, "And potentially useful as well."

Mystery, WAFF, adventure, some laughter… I told you so.

That's the beginning of my Five Worlds Saga.  All new characters _will be properly introduced in future fanfics._

Send questions and comments to cloverhoney@angelfire.com


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